Why I Stopped Speaking About Political Issues- Mr Macaroni
Popular Nigerian skit maker and actor Adebowale Adedayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, has explained why he has become less vocal on political issues, saying threats to his life and family made it difficult for him to continue speaking out as he once did.
Mr Macaroni, in a recent interview with Wazobia FM, said he and his family faced serious threats after he became actively involved in political conversations, particularly around the 2023 general election.
According to him, the situation became so serious that his family members were regularly calling him in tears and even wanted him to leave the country for his safety.
“It was so bad. They wanted to fly me out of the country. I said, ‘For what? I’m not running anywhere,’” he said.
The comedian recalled that after the EndSARS protests, he continued to speak publicly about the need for Nigerians to make informed choices at the polls.
He said that during the 2023 election period, he released several videos and posts urging Nigerians to “vote wisely”, while also making it clear that he had a preferred candidate.
“I did not say everybody should go and vote for this person. I said, because of what I’ve seen, I believe this person was the most competent at the moment to lead us,” he said.
Mr Macaroni stressed that he believed Nigerians had the right to vote for whoever they wanted, adding that his decision to publicly state his preferred candidate was based on his personal assessment at the time.
“You have rights to vote for whoever you want to vote for. But as for me, this is who I will vote for,” he said.
He said the threats did not stop after the election, noting that people around him also became concerned about their safety.
“I came out crying that, ‘Look, these people are threatening me.’ Different people, then they follow up my people. My people, they call, say, ah, then they observe some strange movement around them,” he said.
The actor said the experience contributed to his decision to reduce his involvement in political conversations, particularly as some Nigerians now tag him on social media asking why he is no longer speaking about political issues.
“Sometimes I see on Twitter, I just see people tagging me. ‘Oh, Mr Macaroni, you’re not saying anything.’ What will I say? We said it, but it looked as if we were the ones that didn’t know what we were saying. We said it,” he said.
Mr Macaroni had previously spoken about his decision to become less vocal on political matters, saying Nigerians sometimes turn against people who speak on their behalf.
He said his reduced commentary should not be interpreted simply as a lack of concern, pointing instead to the risks associated with speaking publicly on political issues.
“So, I’m not saying that this is why I’m not talking much, but it’s also, if you look at it, there’s also an undertone to it. Because we said it, we’re at risk,” he said.
